Input device and image display apparatus including the same

Abstract

An input device and an image display apparatus are provided. The image display apparatus may include a display, and an input device adjacent to the display. The input device may include a first light emitting device (LED), a second light emitting device (LED), a touch sensor to detect a touch input, and a light source controller to control an intensity of light from the light guide based on the touch input.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An image display apparatus comprising:
 a display to display an image; and 
 an input device adjacent to the display, the input device comprising:
 a touch sensor to detect a touch input, 
 a first light emitting device (LED) to emit a first light of a first color and arranged at a first end of the touch sensor, 
 a second light emitting device (LED) to emit a second light of a second color and arranged at a second end of the touch sensor, 
 a substrate formed of a transparent material, and a plurality of input keys to be displayed on the transparent substrate, 
 a light guide to receive the first light from the first LED at a first end of the light guide and to receive the second light from the second LED at a second end of the light guide, the light guide to mix the first light and the second light and to output a third light having a third color based on the mixed first and second lights, and the light guide being disposed below the substrate, 
 a proximity sensor to detect a user's finger that approaches the input device within the predetermined range, 
 a reflection layer disposed between the light guide and the touch sensor, and 
 a light source controller to control an emission of light from at least one of the first light emitting device or the second light emitting device in an active state, when the proximity sensor detects that the user approaches the input device within the predetermined range in an idle state in which light is not emitted, and the controller to control an intensity of light from the light guide based on the touch input, and 
 wherein the third color of the third light is a color corresponding to each of the input keys, 
 wherein the light source controller increases an amount of the first light emitted from the first LED when the detected touch input is closer to the second LED than the first LED, 
 wherein the light source controller decreases an amount of the second light emitted from the second LED when the detected touch input is closer to the second LED than the first LED, 
 wherein the light source controller controls the intensity of the third light from the light guide based on a number of touches of the touch input, 
 wherein the light guide is between the substrate and the touch sensor, 
 wherein the input device is provided in a bezel area of the apparatus adjacent to the display. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source controller controls the intensity of the third light from the light guide based on a position of the touch input. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source controller controls the intensity of the third light from the light guide based on a duration of the touch input. 
     
     
       4. An image display apparatus comprising:
 a display to display an image; and 
 an input device provided in a bezel area adjacent to the display, the input device comprising:
 a touch sensor to detect a touch input, 
 a first light emitting device (LED) to provide a first light having a first color and arranged at a first end of the touch sensor, 
 a second light emitting device (LED) to provide a second light having a second color and arranged at a second end of the touch sensor, 
 a substrate formed of a transparent material, and to display a plurality of input keys on the transparent substrate, 
 a light guide having the first LED at a first end of the light guide and the second LED at a second end of the light guide, the light guide to combine the first light from the first LED and the second light from the second LED and to provide a third light having a third color, and the light guide disposed below the substrate, 
 a proximity sensor to detect a user's finger that approaches the input device within a predetermined range, 
 a reflection layer disposed between the light guide and the touch sensor, and 
 a controller to control an emission of light from at least one of the first light emitting device or the second light emitting device in an active state, when the proximity sensor detects that the user approaches the input device within the predetermined range in an idle state in which light is not emitted, and the controller to adjust the third light from the light guide based on a position of the touch input, and wherein the third color of the third light is a color corresponding to each of the input keys, 
 wherein the controller increases an amount of the first light from the first LED when the detected touch input is closer to the second LED than the first LED, 
 wherein the controller decreases an amount of the second light emitted from the second LED when the detected touch input is closer to the second LED than the first LED, 
 wherein the controller controls an intensity of the third light from the light guide based on a number of touches of the touch input, 
 wherein the light guide is between the substrate and the touch sensor, and 
 wherein the input device is provided in a bezel area of the apparatus adjacent to the display. 
 
 
     
     
       5. An input device comprising:
 a touch sensor to detect a touch input; 
 a first light emitting device (LED) to provide a first light having a first color and arranged at a first end of the touch sensor; 
 a second light emitting device (LED) to provide a second light having a second color and arranged at a second end of the touch sensor; 
 a substrate formed of a transparent material, and a plurality of input keys to be displayed on the transparent substrate; 
 a light guide to receive the first light from the first LED at a first end of the light guide and to receive a second light from the second LED at a second end of the light guide, and the light guide to output a third light having a third color based on a combination of the first light and the second light, and the light guide disposed below the substrate; 
 a proximity sensor to detect a user's finger that approaches the input device within the predetermined range; 
 a reflection layer disposed between the light guide and the touch sensor; and 
 a controller to control an emission of light from at least one of the first light emitting device or the second light emitting device in an active state, when the proximity sensor detects that the user approaches the input device within the predetermined range in an idle state in which light is not emitted, and the controller controls an intensity of the third light from the light guide based on the determined touch input, 
 wherein the third color of the third light is a color corresponding to each of the input keys, 
 wherein the controller increases an amount of the first light from the first LED when the determined touch input is closer to the second LED than the first LED, and 
 wherein the controller decreases an amount of the second light from the second LED when the determined touch input is closer to the second LED than the first LED, 
 wherein the controller controls the intensity of the third light from the light guide based on a number of touches of the touch input, and 
 wherein the light guide is between the substrate and the touch sensor.